External circumstances have
changed the geo-political landscape of South Asia. This has profound
implications for India-US relations especially after the traumatic events of 11
September. This Report concludes that it would best serve India's interests not
to pursue any strategic alliance or partnership with the US. India's interests
would best served by nuanced issue based policy, even while it broadens its
economic relations with the US emphasizing their political, economic and
cultural commonalties.

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Further, India-US relations need
to be configured around not permanent, but temporary identity of interests like
halting WMD proliferation and pursuing the war against terrorism. The Report
suggests that the US is unlikely to accept India's proceeding to deploy its
nuclear arsenal, although this issue will remain in debate. The possibility of
increasing bilateral military cooperation needs further exploration, apart from
heightening other interactions like intelligence cooperation, defence research
and development, and counter-terrorism.

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The Report highlights the
significance of the economic component of India-US relations which, currently,
lacks depth and content to furnish the ballast for promoting synergy in their
relations. India needs to open-up its economy further, while strengthening its
domestic economy to face the challenges of globalization. The establishment of a
free trade agreement in South Asia would provide considerable stimulus in this
direction.

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On the contentious issue of
Kashmir, the Report suggests a role for the US to strive for a resolution of the
problem based on India providing greater autonomy to Kashmir, Pakistan ceasing
its support to cross-border terrorism, and both countries agreeing to convert
the line of control into an international border.

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Other key recommendations made
in the Report are measures that India needs to take on the economic front, a
bilateral dialogue at the Track I and Track II levels to explore the problems of
governance in democratic societies, harmonizing India-US policies in the area of
energy security, the need for India liberalizing its policy for issue of visas
to American academics, encouraging professional linkages between NRIs and their
counterparts in India, and streamlining procedures within the Government of
India to avoid delays and bottlenecks in the fruitful progress of India-US
relations.

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Report of an Independent Core GroupInstitute of Peace and Conflict Studies
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